SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
VOLUME CLIV, ISSUE 29
METRO
SCIENCE & RESEARCH
U. develops new programs to support PPSD Paxson talks partnership with designated schools, MAT program changes
SPORTS
U. biostatistician Crawford excels in lab, mentorship Crawford recently placed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for scientific contributions
BY CLARA GUTMAN ARGEMÍ STAFF WRITER Amid efforts to define its contributions to public education in Providence, the University is working to channel its resources toward developing a new partnership program with designated Providence public schools, said President Christina Paxson P’19. “Brown has done a lot in education but it hasn’t been as well-directed and as coordinated as it could have been,” Paxson said in an Oct. 2 interview with The Herald, when she expanded on her vision for the University’s involvement with Providence Public School District. The University is also working to redesign its Masters of Arts in Teaching program to include a year-long residency in a local school for teachers-in-training. More broadly, Brown plans to coordinate with other Rhode
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BY EMILIJA SAGAITYTE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
SUMMER ZHANG / HERALD
Island colleges and universities to establish new programs for students in the state — such as a pathway for transfers between Community College of Rhode Island and Brown. The University has not selected the schools for the new partnership program. Paxson and other University administrators are still in “active discussion” with both the R.I. Department of Education and the Providence Public School District to determine what kind of intervention can best fit the district’s needs. Once Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green “nails down” her plan for the state’s takeover
of PPSD, which will be released in the next couple of weeks, the University will move forward with its plans to aid the district, Paxson said. Members of the Urban Innovation Partnership, an association of higher education and healthcare executives of which the University is a member, will each conduct an assessment of their own involvement in the school district and then will coordinate their resulting responses to support PPSD. Partnership with PPSD schools
SEE PPSD PAGE 8
If someone asked Lorin Crawford, an assistant professor of biostatistics, where he saw himself a decade after finishing high school, Crawford could not have guessed that in 2019, he would receive accolades including spots in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science, The Root 100 list for the most influential African Americans between the ages of 25 and 45 and a Sloan Research Fellowship for the “most promising scientific researchers.” Despite graduating from college as a math major, Crawford said he felt drawn to interdisciplinary work and the opportunity to engage in different types of research when selecting his focus for his PhD. After receiving his doctoral degree in statistical sciences from Duke, Crawford came to Brown,
pulled in by its energy and proximity to other research institutions, he said. Crawford, who arrived at the University in 2017, also said that he viewed it as the “perfect playground” to explore his interests and advance his research. “My lab now is exactly what I pictured it being, but a lot of it was me just fully immersing myself, and I think being okay with being uncomfortable has been a really good part of my career,” Crawford added. Crawford’s lab is based in the department of biostatistics at the School of Public Health and includes a group of graduate and undergraduate researchers in computational and molecular biology, applied math and biostatistics. The lab investigates the impacts of mutations — changes in the DNA that affect gene expression and consequently physiological traits in the body — on medical conditions, such as diabetes, Crawford said. The lab also considers how such mutations differ across populations. The team has utilized computer algorithms and statistical methods
SEE FORBES PAGE 3
SPORTS
Football Men’s soccer battles Princeton to draw Princeton goal in 87th falls to minute denies Bears Ivy League soccer Holy Cross first victory at home Bears struggle to defend against COHC Crusaders Saturday, fall 47-31 BY RYAN HANDEL SENIOR STAFF WRITER While the football team’s offense continued to thrive this weekend, a poor defensive showing doomed the Bears against the College of the Holy Cross Saturday, as they lost 47-31. The Bears put up 346 yards on the Crusaders, led by 97 receiving yards and two touchdowns from Scott Boylan ’21 in the final game of their non-conference slate. After a breakout game against the University of Rhode Island in which EJ Perry ’21 posted over 500 total yards, expectations were high for the trans-
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 2
BY ALEX SMOLAR SPORTS EDITOR
Facing a 0-1 conference record and a four-game losing streak, the men’s soccer team entered their matchup against Princeton Saturday in need of a win to stay competitive in the Ivy League. Brown was unable to deliver the victory, battling Princeton to a 1-1 tie. The Bears spent most of the game in the lead, but an 87th minute free-kick goal from the Tigers sent the game to overtime, where neither squad could land a decisive blow. “I’m proud of the energy, effort and fight,” said Head Coach Patrick Laughlin. “For us, it’s a step forward. … We’re close.” Princeton (6-3-1, 0-1-1 Ivy) looked to have the edge in the opening minutes, as the Tigers dominated possession and threatened with a corner kick opportunity. But the Bears (1-6-1, 0-1-1) held firm and denied the Tigers from taking an early lead. In the 14th minute, Brown took
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Senior Co-Captain Jackson Goebel ’20 scored the first goal for the Bears in the 14th minute past Princeton goalkeeper Jacob Schachner. control of the game with a goal from co-captain Jackson Goebel ’20. Austin Lind ’20 took a pass deep on the near sideline and fired a perfect pass into the goal box. Goebel managed to corral the ball and sent it screaming past Princeton goalkeeper Jacob Schachner for the score. The goal was the first of Goebel’s career and the first shot on goal of the game.
“We started off really hot, which we had a bit of trouble of doing earlier in the season,” said co-captain Daniel Schiller ’20. As the half continued, the Bears continued to challenge the Princeton defense with deep passes. Derek Waleffe ’22 had a golden opportunity off of a long pass and sent a low shot toward the goal, but Schachner came to the rescue
News
News
Commentary
Commentary
Pianist Cory Henry leads BAI workshop to help participants hone their songwriting skills Page 3
Roundup: University students report incident involving paintball guns Page 4
Letter: U. should address student affiliation with derecognized groups Page 6
Mezaros GS: Speakers should use microphones to make their talks more accessible Page 7
for the Tigers and prevented Brown from taking a two-goal lead. Moments later, Waleffe collected the ball on the near sideline and delivered a pass to Schiller, who was able to beat the defender and send a shot barely wide of the net. But the Tigers, who also came into this game searching for their first Ivy
SEE SOCCER PAGE 2
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Despite putting up 346 yards on the Holy Cross Crusaders, the Brown Bears lost Saturday. Team highlights included quarterback EJ Perry ’21 connecting with Scott Boylan ’21 for a 57-yard touchdown.
FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 1 fer quarterback going into the game against Holy Cross (3-3, 1-0 Patriot League). But Perry and the Bears (1-3, 0-1 Ivy) got off to a shaky start, as the junior threw a pick on his second pass of the game. The Crusaders capitalized on their great field position, picking up a fourth-down conversion before running back Domenic Cozier broke free of Bruno’s defense for a 21-yard rushing touchdown. “We started very poorly offensively,
SOCCER FROM PAGE 1 victory, began to put pressure on the defense and Bruno goalkeeper James Swomley ’22. In the 34th minute, after a sequence of sustained possession in Brown territory, Princeton sent a shot towards Swomley that required an athletic save to maintain the Bruno advantage. At halftime, the Bears held the lead, but Princeton was more active on offense, leading in shots 8-4, shots on goal 3-2 and corner kicks 7-0. Early in the second period, the Tigers continued to control possession but were unable to create any meaningful shots. Princeton’s chances for victory seemingly took a major blow in the 54th minute when Truman Gelnovatch earned a red card that put the Tigers down to ten men. The Bears had a chance to put the game away in the 74th minute, as Goebel eluded the defense on a counterattack and stood wide open at the edge of the18-yard box. Goebel got the ball, took his time and launched a promising shot toward the goal, which was just barely saved by Schachner. Moments later, the Tigers rocketed a deep shot that required a diving, airborne save from Swomley to protect the Bruno lead. In the 87th minute, the Tigers were awarded a free kick outside of the 18yard box with a final chance to tie the game. Princeton delivered in the clutch,
and I didn’t feel like we were as energetic (of) a bunch of kids as I’m used to,” said Head Coach James Perry ’00. Brown responded on its next possession, as a Holy Cross pass interference penalty moved the Bears down the field. A 25-yard scramble by EJ Perry put Bruno at the Crusaders’ one-yard line, and running back Allen Smith ’22 punched it in for the score. After holding Holy Cross to a field goal, Brown was poised to take the lead, but another interception gave the ball right back to the Crusaders.
as Danny Hampton launched a kick that just barely slipped past Swomley to knot the contest at one and send the teams to sudden-death overtime. “It’s tough letting up a goal like that,” Swomley said. “I’m happy with some parts of my performance with the shot-stopping, but I maybe could have done better with some kicks and crosses.” Just three minutes into the extra period, Princeton had a perfect chance to end the game on their 20th shot of the matchup, but the ball curled inches wide of the post to keep the Bears alive. A few minutes later, Swomley made a critical save to again deny Princeton the walk-off victory. After 10 minutes of play in the first overtime, the contest went to a final extra stanza. The second overtime mostly passed quietly, as neither the Bears nor Tigers could find the edge and create a promising scoring opportunity. But with less than 30 seconds to go in the game and Princeton threatening deep in Bruno territory, Swomley made a one-handed, circus save to avoid another stunning goal. “Maybe at the start of the season, we lose (this) game,” Schiller said. “But we’ve clearly been growing as a team and the desire… is there.” As the final buzzer rang to end the game in a 1-1 tie, exhausted players from both teams collapsed on the pitch. The game had been very physical, as the Bears and Tigers racked up a total of 38 fouls. Princeton led the Bears 28-12 in total shots, 12-4 in shots on goal and 10-3 in corner kicks. Princeton plays “at a really high pace and a very intense style of play,” Laughlin said. “We did a great job meeting that. …The guys worked extremely hard.” The Bears will next take the field at home against Ocean State rival University of Rhode Island Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“I thought in the beginning of the game I made some bad decisions, and left opportunities on the field throughout,” EJ Perry said. Another red zone stop for Bruno forced a second field goal from Holy Cross. The Bears went three and out on the ensuing possession, but then a special teams gaffe by the Crusaders gifted Brown the lead. The Holy Cross returner muffed Brown’s punt, and Bruno special teamer Cooper DeVeau ’23 recovered the fumble. Three plays later, running back Andrew Bolton ’20 scored
Brown’s second short touchdown run to give Bruno a 14-13 advantage in the second quarter. Unfortunately for the Bears, that was the last lead they held Saturday. On the next drive, Holy Cross’ Ayir Asante caught a short slant and sprinted past the entire Brown secondary, taking the pass 69 yards to the house. Just minutes later, Asante struck again, when he got wide open in the Brown end zone and hauled in a 5-yard score. Bruno added a field goal as time expired in the first half, but still faced a 27-17 deficit going
into the locker room. On the first possession of the second half, the Crusaders began to pull away from the Bears, as quarterback Connor Degenhardt threw his third touchdown pass of the game. Perry drew the Bears back within 10 on a nine-yard scoring connection with Boylan, and Brown had an opportunity to cut Holy Cross’ lead to one score. But a Dawson Goepferich ’20 field goal attempt was blocked by the Crusaders’ Kevin Bucceroni. The Crusaders re-established control soon after with a rushing touchdown by Peter Oliver to put the Bears down by 17 points. Bruno’s final highlight of the game came when Boylan blew past the Holy Cross secondary and caught a deep ball from Perry for a 57-yard score. “You always look for big plays to lift your spirits after a game like this,” Boylan said. But once again, Brown’s defense could not hold the Crusaders, as Degenhardt tossed his fourth touchdown on a 72-yard bomb to wideout Spencer Gilliam. The catch extended Holy Cross’ lead to 47-31, where it would remain for the rest of the game. EJ Perry threw his third pick on a desperation fourth-down heave, and the Crusaders were able to wind down the clock to seal the victory. “We’ll learn from (this game),” Coach Perry said. “We’ll learn from the film and get better.” The Bears will return to action against Princeton, where Coach Perry formerly served as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, in their Ivy League home opener Saturday. Princeton will present a tough challenge for Brown, as the Tigers are 4-0 and have defeated each of their opponents by at least 11 points.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS
FORBES FROM PAGE 1 through machine learning to deduce how genes coding for various physical characteristics, or phenotypes, multiply together to influence processes in the body. Using these methods, the team hopes to identify the ways that cancer cells adapt to evade treatment, Crawford said. The lab has also used topological data analysis to understand the relationship between biological characteristics and shape, providing insight into the biological mechanisms or genetics behind these characteristics. The lab’s initial project on this topic involved studying the correlation between two types of primates’ molars and their eating abilities. But the researchers intend to apply the same underlying ideas and methods to brain cancer. They hope to use the structure of an initial tumor from an MRI to predict how quickly the disease may return after surgery or possibly find a way to completely eliminate it from the start, Crawford said. Medical applications of machine learning carry risk in that small errors can lead to harmful repercussions, but a benefit in this case is that analysis from these tumor images would be non-invasive, he added. To put his research ideas together, Crawford said he relies on his broad scope of knowledge, his creativity and effective communication. “In academia now, I think that you should really be able to speak multiple academic languages,” he said. In addition, clear communication allows individuals who lack prior understanding of the science underlying his research to grasp the major concepts behind his discoveries. Through his work, Crawford now sits alongside figures like athlete Serena Williams and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on The Root 100 list, according to a department of biostatistics
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Lorin Crawford received a PhD in biostatistics from Duke University before joining the University in 2017. press release. Forbes Magazine also recognized Crawford on its annual 30 Under 30 list for his scientific contributions. Crawford attributes his success to his self-confidence and the academic institutions in which he worked and studied, he said. Students in Crawford’s lab praise him for standing by his values. His “ideas are so refreshing, and the way he explains them, everything makes sense,” said Gabby Fera ’20, a student researcher in the lab. “He doesn’t let accomplishments cloud his work and his mentorship,” said Chibuikem Nwizu ’17 GS said, adding that he “talks very visually about his research, and he puts (his research) in terms of everyday objects that you and I would understand (by)
gauging what you are interested in.” Crawford has lent students support and insight about how to excel in similar fields. For example, Nwizu has incorporated Crawford’s concepts of topology into his research on cancer causes.“One of the things that I really wanted to see was a role model that I could … strive to be like, and (Crawford) knows what it’s like to navigate different spaces, being a person of color … and being an individual who has ideas that may not go along with the norm,” Nwizu said. Crawford’s success “motivates me and also shows me that it’s possible to excel early on in your career,” Fera said. “It’s nice to be reassured that if you do work hard, you can do what you want to do,” she added.
@BrownDailyHerald Brown University Community Council
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 4 – 5:30 p.m. Report of the President Brown’s Commitment to Providence Schools Meetings are open to members of the Brown community and held in the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Kasper Multipurpose Room. To learn more about the Community Council visit: brown.edu/go/council
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS
METRO ROUNDUP
BY ALEX REICE AND JACOB LOCKWOOD
Columbus statue vandalized on Indigenous People’s Day A statue of Christopher Columbus on the intersection of Elmwood and Reservoir avenues was painted red overnight Sunday, the Providence Journal reported. A sign that read “Stop Celebrating Genocide” accompanied the coated statue. This is the fourth time the statue has been vandalized in nine years, but protests against the state’s celebration of Christopher Columbus have occurred since 1992. The state still celebrates the second Monday in October as “Columbus Day,” though the University officially renamed the day as “Indigenous People’s Day” in 2016. The Providence police are investigating the incident, Emily Crowell, a spokeswoman for Mayor Jorge Elorza, told The Providence Journal.
Task force to hold first hearing to study Rhode Island’s education funding State Sen. Ryan Pearson (D-Cumberland, Lincoln) is set to hold the first hearing of his new “Special Legislative Task Force to Study Rhode Island’s Education Funding Formula,” WPRI reported. The task force intends to reevaluate whether state resources are allocated toward education in the “most appropriate way,” Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D-Providence, North Providence) told WPRI. Ruggerio appointed Pearson to chair the nine-member task force to ensure that the state’s funding formula treats all taxpayers equally and “provides stable and predictable funding while correcting any inequities,” he said, according to a press release from the State of Rhode Island General Assembly’s website. The group will conduct a study of
the current funding formula and issue a report to the Senate in January. Students attacked by teenagers with paintball guns A group of three teenagers shot paintballs at University students while driving around College Hill early Monday, the Providence Journal reported. University police detained one 17-year-old and two 16-year-olds who were driving the car near Thayer Street. City police later seized two paintball guns from the car. Four people hit by paintballs reported the incident to the police. One individual was hit in the forehead, and the others were hit in the arm, side and upper back, respectively. The victims were unsure if they wanted to press charges against the three suspects, who were released to their parents by the Department of Public Safety.
Please join us on
Tuesday, October 15th at 4pm for the
Bernard I. Fain Lecture
Dream Hoarders: Inequality, Class and Higher Education by Richard Reeves, a writer , scholar and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution The event will be held at Watson Institute in Joukowsky Forum and is co-sponsored by the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Wealth and Inequality Project and the Department of Economics. The Fain Lecture honors the memory of Bernard I. Fain, a member of the Brown University class of 1952.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | TODAY
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The Art and Science of Slide Design 8:30 A.M. South Street Landing
Be Safe Brown Event 10:30 A.M. Main Green
Best Practices for Managing and Sharing Research Data 12:00 P.M. Rockefeller Library 160
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Book Club 7:00 P.M. Watson CIT
TOMORROW Healthcare Market Research 8:30 A.M. South Street Landing
Lunch with Credit Karma 12:00 P.M. CareerLAB 1st floor
Richard B. Milward Colloquium 3:00 P.M. Metcalf Research Building
Macro Seminar-George Angelis 4:00 P.M. Robinson Hall
Q U OTE OF TH E DAY
S U D O KU
“As a musician, it’s really great to see community spaces where artists can hone in on their craft. And it’s amazing to have someone like Cory Henry to help.”
—Miranda Luiz ’22 SEE HENRY PAGE 3
WI L DFLOW ERS AB OUN D
RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle CRNorris O Sand SWO R D Lewis Edited by Rich Joyce Nichols
ACROSS 1 Employment agency listings 5 Fried Cajun veggie 9 WWII conference site 14 Billion extension 15 Steady guy 16 He hunted with a club in the “Odyssey” 17 Club used as a weapon, say 20 Nonagenarian actress White 21 Yeats or Keats 22 Color, as Easter eggs 23 Summer quencher 24 Dorm VIPs 27 Where Lux. is 29 Kid-friendly comfort food 36 Soothing additive 38 River through Sudan 39 Country rocker Steve 40 Sable maker, briefly 41 Turn __ ear 43 Pub projectile 44 Former Portuguese territory in China 46 Prefix with -pus 47 Abates 48 Tests during which checking notes is allowed 51 Gymnast’s goal 52 Deli bread 53 Art on skin, slangily 56 Draw upon 59 Not as much 62 Calf-roping gear 64 Candid sort 68 Street toughs 69 Diamond Head’s island 70 Aromatic drinks 71 Go on tiptoe 72 Small songbird 73 Wine area near Turin DOWN 1 “Star Wars” gangster 2 No longer squeaky
3 Xbox battle game 4 Told to go 5 Asian tie 6 Barbie’s guy 7 Grating voice 8 One might get stuck in a jam 9 Video-sharing website 10 Radius’s limb 11 Committed perjury 12 Randall who played Felix Unger 13 Chip in a chip 18 Supermodel Banks 19 Marsh stalk 25 Tolstoy’s Karenina 26 Snowmobile brand 28 “__ and weep!”: poker winner’s cry 30 Take back 31 Smart guy? 32 More like Felix Unger 33 African countries on the Mediterranean, e.g. 34 Mediation agcy.
35 Congeals 36 Target practice supply 37 “... one giant __ for mankind” 42 Cunning 45 Washington Monument, for one 49 Universal blood type, for short 50 Related to flying 54 Had lunch in
55 Foot bones 56 Letter carrier’s org. 57 Leave speechless 58 Marine eagle 60 Vegas event 61 Kindergartner’s reward 63 Tiny bit 65 Wanted-poster letters 66 Sailor’s pronoun 67 Attila, notably
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
xwordeditor@aol.com
02/12/13
AREEZ KHAN / HERALD
By Melanie Miller (c)2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
02/12/13
Wildflowers continue to thrive on College Hill despite chilly weekend weather and the perennially gray Providence skies. Students have a couple weeks left to enjoy these colorful plants.
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To achieve transformative justice, the University should strengthen policy around derecognized group activity
It is important to recognize team behind strong endowment returns
To the Editor:
To the Editor:
I am writing with regard to The Herald’s article on Brown’s response to derecognized group activity. I would like to challenge the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards to reconsider its guidelines on student affiliation with derecognized groups. If the school is going to respond to drugging and hazing incidents at fraternities like Phi Psi and Sigma Chi with five-year suspensions but not by banning them entirely, what can the University really expect? The OSCC’s new policy states that student affiliation with derecognized groups can now result in
reprimand or even expulsion. But if these fraternities can eventually get their Wriston dorms back, the University is naive to think they won’t continue throwing parties and recruiting new members off campus, as Phi Psi (rebranded as Lantern) has. These fraternities have committed serious harm to their members and to other members of the Brown community, so telling their members that their frat can come back after five years is not enough to achieve restorative justice. As Yolanda Castillo-Appollonio, the senior associate dean of students and director of student conduct and community standards, said herself, sending
these frats off campus while they wait for reinstatement can pose a greater threat to the community, since they no longer face any official oversight. In my ideal world, we would find a way to phase out fraternities entirely at Brown. We would by no means be the first university to do so. But even if their members claim there are legitimate reasons to keep them on campus, we must have a better method for reprimanding them than sending them underground for several years and allowing them to come back, entirely unscathed.
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The Oct. 11 article “Kennedy Plaza transit plan elicits mixed criticism, support” incorrectly stated that The Providence Foundation had come out in support of the proposed plan to redesign Kennedy Plaza. In fact, the group opposes key parts of the plan, primarily the proposed bus tunnel under Washington Street. The Herald regrets the error.
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CORRECTION
Editorial Leadership Editor-in-Chief Emily Davies
Thank you for highlighting the performance of the Brown endowment for fiscal year 2019 in your editorial on Oct. 4. The endowment is invested with the goal of achieving high risk-adjusted returns over periods much longer than a single year. Nonetheless, the strong returns from fiscal year 2019 are indeed excellent news for the entire Brown community. The editorial however did not sufficiently recognize the engine of these
returns: a dedicated investment team, an active Investment Committee and extensive help from alumni who help us source unique investment opportunities. Led by Chief Investment Officer, Jane Dietze, Brown’s endowment is in highly capable hands. The entire Investment Office team deserves the credit!
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY
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Speaking into the mic E.L. MESZAROS GS STAFF COLUMNIST Many academic institutions are attempting to increase accessibility, considering everything from the design of campus buildings to accommodations at conferences and workshops. But modifying infrastructure can only do so much to ensure that an event or lecture is accessible if everyone doesn’t adjust their behavior. For example, speakers at these events often ignore the importance of the microphone — which makes lectures more accessible to people with hearing loss. Presenters who have the opportunity to use a microphone should absolutely do so in order to improve accessibility and expand the reach of their message. Five percent of the global population has disabling hearing loss, and the World Health Organization estimates that this number will roughly double by 2050. Further, 15 percent of adults 18 years old and over in the United States have documented difficulty hearing, with incidence generally increasing with age. Likely there will be a number of students in a class or participants in a workshop with some degree of hearing loss. Consideration of hearing difficulties is especially important since the point of many of these academic activities — workshops, conferences, lectures — involve sharing information with a distinctly aural component. Inaccessibly low-volume presenters prevent information from being shared, which defeats the point of the entire endeavor. It effectively excludes those with hearing issues, preventing their participation in discussions. As hearing loss is frequently an invisible disability, we often have no idea how many people are excluded in such
circumstances. I was at a workshop recently where there was only one microphone attached to a lectern and the panel of three speakers were all seated far away. Rather than standing to give their presentations and responses at the mic, one panelist said she would just try to talk loudly and that we could let her know if she needed to be louder by raising our hands. This immediately struck
isn’t only about increasing volume — it’s also about retaining a directionality of speech. During presentations, speakers will often turn their heads to focus on different portions of the audience — or, more likely, to look at the visuals they’re displaying. Even those who are great at projecting their voices are directing their sound toward only a portion of the audience, which means that even loud speech may sound quieter
“Presenters who have the opportunity to use a microphone should absolutely do so in order to improve accessibility and expand the reach of their message.”
me as an unfortunate plan at a workshop where people were raising their hands all the time in order to contribute to the discussion — how do you identify people who are having problems with hearing from people who are seeking to participate? But more importantly, asking individuals with difficulty hearing to identify themselves publicly seems like a terrible way to ensure accessibility. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t hear much of her contribution to the workshop, even though I do not have documented hearing loss. Too often, when speakers eschew the microphone they do so while extolling their own ability to speak loudly. But using a microphone
to certain listeners. In contrast, when speaking into a mic, the sound always comes out of the speaker. More often than not, people think they speak more loudly than they actually do or they peter out after the first few minutes. Even audience members without hearing loss may eventually have to work to understand what is being said. Additionally, microphones improve audio recording quality by capturing the speaker’s voice directly, with limited interference from ambient noise. The question of accessibility is much more important, but it is worthwhile to
note that not only is it better for their audience to use a mic, it also is better for the lecturer. A high- or better-quality recording is valuable on the job market and for those who are interested in sharing their work digitally to reach a broader audience. I encourage speakers to avoid thinking about a presentation as the opportune moment to showcase their unimpeachable skills in projection, and instead note that it will be easier for their audiences to hear them, and thus engage with their message, if they just use a microphone. It’s not admitting a weakness, it’s embracing a tool that allows speakers to reduce wear on their own voices and help ensure the accessibility of their messages. Ultimately, as Jessie Ramey, an associate professor at Chatham University, explains “It’s not about how you feel using a microphone. It’s about how others can best hear.” Microphones are not always available. Many lecture halls don’t provide them, and some workshops and conferences are small enough that they may not be necessary. But for those times where a microphone is available, speakers should be sure to use it. Organizers that are planning large gatherings should work with their venue to ensure that a microphone will be available and that any necessary troubleshooting can be taken care of quickly. Here at Brown, the IT Service Center can loan out microphones and work with anyone to ensure their correct use. Ultimately, it’s a small change that can make a large difference in accessibility.
E.L. Meszaros GS can be reached at e.l.meszaros@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@ browndailyherald.com.
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019
ARTS & CULTURE
Pianist Cory Henry visits University for songwriting workshop Presented by Brown Arts Initiative, workshop helps songwriters develop craft
BY KATHERINE OK SENIOR STAFF WRITER Pianist Cory Henry discussed his musical influences and critiqued original songs as part of the Brown Arts Initiative’s weekly songwriting workshop Oct. 11. Henry, the leader of the band Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles, began the workshop with an introduction to his history with music. A former member of the Brooklyn jazz band Snarky Puppy, Henry traces his roots and passion for music to his childhood time spent in church. “I grew up playing in a Pentecostal church. … My mother played several instruments and was the lead choir director,” Henry said. “She taught me my first song at the age of three, which was ‘Amazing Grace.’ … I learned a lot from playing at church,” he added, citing musical skills like ear training. He later discussed how he entered the world of jazz music. “When I got to about 13 years old, … I got into Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum (and) Herbie Hancock,” he said, referencing his early influences. “When I turned about 15, … I started going to this club called the Village Underground, and it was the first time that I really have ever seen a Hammond organ outside of the church,” he continued. Henry detailed how he learned jazz standards, even booking his first major gig with famous jazz saxophonist Kenny Jarrett. After explaining his jazz education and career, Henry performed an original composition titled “Miss Purdy” on his electric keyboard. A long, partly improvisational jazz piece, the song included foot-tapping, vocalizations
PPSD FROM PAGE 1 To develop a partnership with designated public schools in the city, the University has established an administrative working group made up of members from the Annenberg Institute, the University’s Department of Education and the Department of Government and Community Relations. The University may partner with one to two schools, but it has not definitively determined the number. The University may decide to focus on one middle school and one or two high schools, said Marguerite Joutz ’15, chief of staff to Paxson, who is leading the task force. “It would be premature to be any more specific than that,” she wrote in a follow-up email to The Herald. After the task force releases a report laying out the partnership’s framework, Paxson plans to put together a separate steering committee with students, faculty and staff to implement the program. The funding for this program could come from rechanneling existing financial resources into partner schools, as well as new grants and gifts, Paxson said. In 2007, the University promised to raise $10 million for a PPSD endowment, but twelve years later, it has only raised $1.9 million, The Boston Globe reported. The University has separately invested over $800,000 annually in the district
KATHERINE OK / HERALD
At last week’s Brown Arts Initiative songwriting workshop, pianist Cory Henry told attendees about his career in music and also gave feedback and suggestions to participants who shared their own songs. and complex melodies from the pianist. Henry then transitioned into the workshopping portion of the event, which is “designed to give students and community members a chance to hone their songwriting skills,” all while fostering a creative, community based environment, according to BAI’s website. Musicians apply to the songwriting workshop via an application
and recorded audition. Past featured artists have included singer Kishi Bashi and singer-songwriter Dar Williams. Chrissy Stewart, a Providence-based singer-songwriter, shared her song, “Jamestown Rain” during the event. Stewart explained to Henry, “I just recorded an album, and we started feeling like we were forcing (the song), so we skipped it. I’m still sitting on it (be-
cause) I feel like a song tells you when it’s done.” Henry immediately began to suggest improvements and changes to the piece, such as breaking parts of the melody into separate verses. Other songs presented by songwriters ranged from easygoing, acoustic tunes to ballads on the piano. Henry’s suggestions and critiques included focusing on the emotionality of a song
and improving technical aspects, such as the arrangement of melody, bridge and chorus. Audience member Miranda Luiz ’22 told The Herald she appreciated BAI for hosting Henry’s workshop. “As a musician, it’s really great to see community spaces where artists can hone in on their craft,” she said. “And it’s amazing to have someone like Cory Henry to help.”
through a fund, The Herald previously reported. Paxson said she intends for the program to draw from “our expertise, our volunteer power, our financial resources.” She described a program that would include coordinated efforts by students, faculty, the Department of Facilities Management, the Center for Information Services and the University’s library services. Faculty would volunteer to offer professional development trainings to teachers, Paxson added.
Cuffee School, and is also “in conversations” with Hope High School. Professor Sarah Leibel, director of Teacher Education, will spearhead the efforts. Leibel did not respond to multiple requests for comment. “We’re talking to many of these schools and seeing who would really like us as partners and who we could support best,” Loeb said. The future of the MAT program has been contested on campus. In 2018, the elementary track of the program was suspended — a decision that was met with frustration by the program’s students and alumni. Without the elementary track, primary schools that benefited from in-class teacher residencies no longer have that support. Loeb said that the decision came after talking to representatives in the district, who highlighted the need for more specialized secondary education teachers. “We really wanted to put the effort in where the district needed teachers the most,” she said, adding that the updated MAT program will restructure its curriculum to train teachers to meet the district’s specific needs. When the University unveiled a redesign of its Department of Education in April, the update involved expanding students’ one-semester student-teaching requirement to a year-long residency. It also added specialization components to the MAT program, such as training to teach En-
glish Language Learners. At the time, Chair of the Department of Education Tracy Steffes told The Herald that the department would “want to have three or four urban schools that we work really closely with.”
agreeing to support the Commissioner’s efforts and examine how they are each involved in PPSD. “By the time we meet (again) in December, we want to develop an inventory of all the work that higher education is doing in our Providence schools,” Sanchez said. “Prior to this, there’s no common agenda. … Everyone just does what they think should be done in K-12.” Paxson told The Herald about two University initiatives that could increase college access for PPSD students. She emphasized maintaining Brown’s pre-college summer programs, which currently offer opportunities and scholarships specifically for local high school students. She also stated that Brown is “starting discussions” with the Community College of Rhode Island to establish a program that formally identifies talented CCRI students, who could then be accepted into Brown as transfer students. While Brown has been accepting CCRI transfers for years, there is currently no formal system to identify promising candidates. CCRI’s Vice President for Student Affairs Sara Enright, who will be coordinating these efforts, could not be reached for comment by press time. Paxson hopes that the summer program and CCRI partnership will help the University “actively cultivate” efforts to bring more PPSD students to campus.
Master of Arts in Teaching explores partnerships The University is redesigning its Masters of Arts in Teaching program to require teachers-in-training to participate in a year-long residency in a local school. The precise number of schools Brown would partner with for this program is unclear, and the schools “may or may not overlap” with those selected for the partnership overseen by the working group. The University’s Department of Education will decide which schools the MAT program will partner with, said Director of the Annenberg Institute Susanna Loeb. The department began reaching out to schools this summer and site visits are currently underway, Joutz said. Loeb added that the department is likely to partner with two charter schools, Blackstone Academy and Paul
Coordinating with other colleges and universities The University is not alone in reevaluating its efforts to assist PPSD following the scathing John Hopkins report released in June about the conditions of schools in the city. Universities across Providence have committed to conducting similar reviews before the end of this year as part of a joint effort led by the Urban Innovation Partnership, which Paxson co-chairs. The Partnership, which was established last year by Mayor Jorge Elorza, coordinates on a range of issues important to Providence residents. These issues cover areas from sustainability to technology to transportation, according to President of Rhode Island College Frank Sanchez, co-chair of the Partnership alongside Paxson and a member of the Johns Hopkins review team. Before the Johns Hopkins review, education in the Providence School District was not an area of focus for the Partnership, Sanchez said. In a recent meeting that Sanchez cochaired with Paxson, the Partnership’s member institutions decided to prioritize Providence public schools, jointly